Research grants awarded to projects targeting pancreatic cancer, one of nation's deadliest

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network will award 10 grants through their joint 2015 Research Grants Program to outstanding scientists throughout the country, supporting their novel research in the field of pancreatic cancer.

Since 2003, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, in collaboration with the AACR, has awarded 109 research grants totaling more than $27 million awarded to bright and motivated scientists across the country.

Pancreatic cancer has historically been understudied and underfunded, yet it is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and has the lowest survival rate of major cancers, at just 7 percent.

The diverse research topics funded this year include immunotherapy, targeting KRAS, heredity in pancreatic cancer, and tumor metabolism.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network-AACR Grantees will be honored at the AACR Annual Meeting 2015, held April 18-22.

"Pancreatic cancer is one of the few cancer types for which death rates are steadily increasing; it is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States by 2030," said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. "Research into this deadly disease is urgently needed, and the AACR is proud to continue its partnership with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to support these grant opportunities which provide investigators with much-needed resources to support their innovative basic, translational, and clinical research into pancreatic cancer and the translation of these findings into improved outcomes for patients."

"The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's research investment represents a focused effort at providing financial support for projects with potential to enhance our ability to treat or diagnose this disease. Certain grants within our portfolio are also intended to attract and retain early-career investigators into the field," said Julie Fleshman, president and CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. "The most promising science has been selected for funding through a rigorous peer-review process and we are thrilled to grow our 'Community for Progress' to tackle one of the nation's deadliest cancers. By recruiting the brightest scientists with the most novel ideas, we continue to build a broad research community, poised to make significant scientific and clinical discoveries."

Provided by American Association for Cancer Research